THE GROWTH OF HG(1-X)CD(X)TE LAYERS BY MOLECULAR BEAM EPITAXY (MBE) AND INNOVATIVE IN-SITU WAFER PREPRATION PRIOR TO GROWTH ARE KEY ISSUES IN DEVELOPING SECOND GENERATION HIGH PERFORMANCE IR DETECTORS. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS WORK IS TO ESTABLISH THE GROWTH OF CD(1-X)MN(X)TE CRYSTALS THAT CAN SERVE AS SUBSTRATES FOR THE GROWTH OF LATTICE-MATCHED HG(1-X)CD(X)TE LAYERS. PHASE I WILL INCLUDE: (1) SCALEUP OF CRYSTAL GROWTH TECHNOLOGY TO PRODUCE LARGE HIGH QUALITY SUBSTRATES, (2) ASSESSMENT OF WAFER AND SURFACE PROCESSING, (3) DEVELOPMENT OF INGOT CHARACTERIZATION AND (4) DEVELOPMENT OF SPUTTERCLEANING AND ANNEALING KINETICS UTILIZING X-RAY PHOTOEMISSION SPECTROSCOPY (XPS) AND PHOTOREFLECTANCE (PR) SPECTROSCOPY. PHASE II IS ENVISIONED TO INCLUDE: (1) PURIFICATION OF SOURCE MATERIALS, (2) DEVELOPMENT OF ADVANCED GROWTH TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE THE CRYSTAL QUALITY, (3) DEVELOPMENT OF ADVANCED CHARACTERIZATION TECHNOLOGY, (4) DEVELOPMENT OF IN-SITU FINAL WAFER PREPARATION AND GROWTH IN AN MBE SYSTEM.